#VISION Liberal's railyard plan: new stadium & entertainment

[Aidan]

Struth, what a disappointment! 'Tis hard to tell which party's vision for the railyards is worse

The wrong kind of stadium (and without the redeeming frog cake aesthetics), an attempt to cram the interstate trains into a subsurface facility far too small, many buildings extremely inappropriate for the parklands location, and replacing perfectly good suburban facilities with high density housing.

Don't any politicians want development appropriate for the location?

Aidan, its a concept. Obviously developers and architects would come up with ideas for the stations, centres, casinos & stadium

James, it's a deeply flawed concept, for many reasons.

Firstly it's a terrible location for a station, as it's too small. And one of the biggest problems of Keswick terminal is poor links with the suburban rail system. This plan fails to solve it.

Adelaide Oval is one of the best cricket grounds in the world, and the redevelopment that's already started will make it great for footy as well. We don't need another oval stadium in our parklands - what we need is a rectangular stadium. And a closing roof would be a waste of money. Also, if we're building a new stadium on the railyards, and we have all that land to choose from, it would be better to locate it at the City end.

Then there's all these new buildings intruding into the Parklands. I'm not one of those people who thinks nothing should be built in the Parklands - indeed I'd still like that Victoria Park grandstand to be built! But I think the development should be appropriate to the location, and should be built into the ground (like our national Parliament House) unless the building's function prevents it. It's not the curved panel and torso designs that I object to, it's the fact that there are tall buildings there at all. They're appropriate for the City, but not for the Parklands.

And the removal of suburban facilities is not a minor detail that architects would change, it's a defining feature of the plan, and a major drawback.

[dsriggs]

I enjoy the part where they say there'll be a bunch of riverside shops & cafes when there's dozens of empty retail outlets in the CBD itself.

Dozens? Where?

Myer Centre, Hindley Street, King William Street south of Beehive Corner...

[Didgeriduka]

As people have mentioend elsewhere, how on earth could half of these plans go through with the minority greenies and NIMBYS opposing so much of it? The parklands/torrens especially.

And doesn't ther SANFL own AAMI? How will the gov get them to sell it off? And there has been a fair amount spent on that... and the proposals for the upgrade with the apparetments/etc... are they still going ahead with that?

Don't focus on what can't be done now - things change over time; sometimes quicker than we expect.

[Didgeriduka]

Sir Humphrey calls this plan "courageous."

The Libs are only doing this because they know they're not going to win this election. They know that there's no way the state government would be able to construct something like this, politically, legally, economically, without some serious fighting. But that's irrelevant, they're not going to win so they'll never have to worry about. But they do get to point at it and say "look we've got a vision!" It might save them one last seat on the back bench.

It's exactly the same as the Greens releasing a federal budget.

The possibility of them winning is not that much of a stretch. Look at the way the Government has been reacting to things recently (water restrictions, police tasers) - they are no longer on the front foot setting the agenda and they are uncomfortable with that. Throw in the Rann issue and there is a chance that the Liberals, despite all their shortcomings and infighting, are real contenders. No one thought the Libs would win in WA, but they did!

[Pants]

It's a concept; a vision and I'm glad they've got one. The whole scheme (with Keswick, West Lakes etc) seems a tad over-ambitious to the point of being fantasy (who's going to fill all those buildings?), but if the transport links are right, it's a commendable (very) long term goal.

Despite my understanding that the Libs have had a similar plan for the riverside knocking about for a while, this one looks like it was thrown together by a student overnight to capitalise on the mess Mike Rann's in at the moment. More fine tuning should have been done before releasing it if this is their big election push.

Still, looking at the big picture, this is as bold a vision for Adelaide as I can remember in my lifetime and ought to be commended. Far better use of the best free land in the city than a hospital, moves all major sports and entertainment into the CBD and providing the trains can fit, finally does something about Keswick.

I'm getting tired of this Government's sheer belligerence in wanting to build a hospital on the best land in the city because they don't want to face the political embarrassment of backing down after the prisons, for e.g., were abandoned and the Libs' plans, however draft, have at least got me starting to think that it might be time for a change.

[AtD]

The possibility of them winning is not that much of a stretch. Look at the way the Government has been reacting to things recently (water restrictions, police tasers) - they are no longer on the front foot setting the agenda and they are uncomfortable with that. Throw in the Rann issue and there is a chance that the Liberals, despite all their shortcomings and infighting, are real contenders. No one thought the Libs would win in WA, but they did!

Centrebet have the Libs at $4.75 to win, the ALP $1.16. Be realistic.
http://centrebet.com/cust?action=GoEvTy ... tab=sports
http://www.sensational-adelaide.com/for ... 473#p69473

[Howie]

Some of this discussion ought to be in the 2010 State Election thread I reckon.

[Didgeriduka]

The possibility of them winning is not that much of a stretch. Look at the way the Government has been reacting to things recently (water restrictions, police tasers) - they are no longer on the front foot setting the agenda and they are uncomfortable with that. Throw in the Rann issue and there is a chance that the Liberals, despite all their shortcomings and infighting, are real contenders. No one thought the Libs would win in WA, but they did!

Centrebet have the Libs at $4.75 to win, the ALP $1.16. Be realistic.
http://centrebet.com/cust?action=GoEvTy ... tab=sports
http://www.sensational-adelaide.com/for ... 473#p69473

I am... the Liberals in WA didn't expect to win the election earlier this year themselves. Neither did the betting agencies, nor the media. Even the public service in WA wasn't prepared for a change of government. Everybody was surprised by the result.

Anything is possible and a good campaign by the Liberals, combined with some troubles in Labor ranks, could spell an upset.

And no, I am not a Liberal person, or even a supporter - in fact I have never voted Liberal in my life!

[bm7500]

Using the railyards site for a hospital is not the right answer. The Libs will get my vote because they have at least shown the courage to do something different and more vibrant for this city!

[Benski81]

I can't believe what I'm hearing and the number of people being sucked in by this. OMFG it is so easy to say whatever you want about what you're going to do, that's the beauty of being in opposition you can say whatever the f**k you want. Actually making it happen is a completely different story. I want this as much as anyone BUT it's economics that will drive it, not the government and the conservatives aren't exactly the most progressive party now are they?!

My opinion this is vote grabbing, it doesn't take a genius to work out how to pull a few emotional strings to sway a few votes around election time. This combined with the Mike Rann beat up in the media and the unions all pissy about the changes to work cover, which by the way was the right thing to do and the liberals would have done the same if in power, now threatening to send their preferences to the family first party. Now this? Please.

I know I'll get crucified for this but I'll say it anyway, this will NEVER happen with those retards in power. This amounts to nothing more than a thinly veiled attempt to capitalise on an emotive issue in the lead up to the election. Elect them and watch it disappear.

[Briggzy_03]

Benski maybe it is you that is getting sucked in by Mike for believing his reasons for why the RAH should be moved?

Each of our opinions are just as probable. The concept is just that, a concept. Things like a new entertainment centre in the CBD may possibly never come to fruition. I'm just glad we are finally seeing what each party is potentially offering if we were to vote for them. The current promises by the Liberals if proven to be false, and if elected, will result in them most likely being kicked out come the next election, however you, I, nor anyone else can suggest that will ever happen. Honestly between this proposal and Rann denying that he likes the North Adelaide golf course, but not for the golf, I have no idea who's being honest.

Btw Howie feel free to move our posts if these seem irrelevant to the thread.

[fasterthanlids]

built into the ground

Underground stadium! or is that a reference of the Libs chances come election time?

[peas_and_corn]

OK...

First, selling off of the Gepps land for high density apartments- who would want to live there??? It's near... well, nothing. However that said, I wondered why anyone would want to live in the old ETSA building.

Can someone explain what those orange things are supposed to be? I'm guessing the grey building to the right is an expanded convention centre.

The eating areas feel a little isolated to me. It's kinda near the stadium, but is there a quick way to walk to and from there from North Terrace?

[Aidan]

built into the ground

Underground stadium! or is that a reference of the Libs chances come election time?

The partly excavated stadium in Madrid has been mentioned before, but I don't think it would be practical here, as the railway location would then severely limit options for its position and redevelopment of the area as a whole would be compromised. So I think we can put it in the building's function prevents it category.

As for the Libs chances, what concerns me far more is that nobody's giving the other opposition parties a chance. Most Croweaters won't vote Liberal because they don't want to risk the state Libs getting into power again, but who wouldn't welcome the situation where Rann remains premier but is forced to dump some of his barmier plans like putting the hospital on the railyards. Come on Nats, Greens, NoPokies and Indys - seize the initiative!

[AG]

The plan looks good at face value and it could well be a good vision but the Liberals haven't communicated very well as to how they will address some key issues such as the provision of new and/or upgraded infrastructure to serve the high-density developments areas at Keswick, the Riverside precinct, Gepps Cross and West Lakes or how it plans to make these areas high quality communities that are more than just a bunch of buildings put together.